The Princess Who Saw the Fall of Her Homeland Strives to Change Fate by Becoming the Cold Prince's Bride! - Chapter 5

Time passed quickly, and at last, the day came for Elze to leave for Ernstahl.

A large crowd of Maglier’s citizens gathered in the plaza in front of the royal castle, cheering for her.

“Safe travels, Princess!”

“Heartbreak only makes you stronger for the future!”

“We’ll have a consolation party ready for you!”

“I’ll bake a delicious cake and wait for you!”

“No crying until you come back!”

It wasn’t just her family—even the people of Maglier didn’t believe Elze had a chance of becoming Richard’s bride.

Standing on the platform, Elze gracefully bowed with movements far more refined than they had been months ago. She smiled gently and spoke.

“Beloved citizens of Maglier, I, Princess Elze, am truly honored to have been chosen as a candidate to become the bride of Prince Richard of Ernstahl.”

The gathered crowd fell completely silent.

Seeing their reaction, Elze smirked inwardly but continued.

“My journey to Ernstahl is not just for myself, but also a crucial step toward the future of Maglier. I sincerely hope that my actions will strengthen the friendship between our nations and serve as a bridge for peace and prosperity. I will carry with me the culture, traditions, and values of Maglier, and I vow to always be a princess that represents our kingdom with pride.”

The plaza buzzed with whispers.

“Who… who is that?”

“Is that really Princess Elze!?”

“Did she eat something strange…?”

“Maybe it’s actually Princess Ulrika in disguise?”

Watching the citizens’ confusion, Elze chuckled.

She could continue acting as the perfect princess until the very end…

But she would much rather have them send her off with smiles.

“Lastly, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to everyone gathered here today. And…”

Taking a deep breath, Elze raised her voice with all her might.

“When I return, it won’t be for a consolation party—it’ll be for a ‘Congratulations on Your Marriage’ party! So make sure you get it right! And don’t forget to prepare a giant wedding cake for me!”

The moment she declared this, cheers erupted from all around.

“That’s our Princess Elze!”

“Now that sounds like her!”

“We’ll make a cake worthy of competing with the best bakers in the empire!”

“You better make sure to win over the prince!”

Waving to the joyful crowd, Elze climbed into the carriage sent by Ernstahl.

The moment she stepped inside, her eyes met with the Ernstahl ambassador waiting for her—

And she froze in shock.

(Oh no… I completely forgot about the ambassador!)

Of course, he had witnessed her entire enthusiastic speech.

She had gotten carried away.

“Um… The selection process for the bride candidates starts after we arrive in Ernstahl, right? There won’t be any deductions for my behavior on the way…?”

She asked nervously, and the serious-looking ambassador let out a small chuckle.

“Please rest assured, Princess Elze. The selection process will begin after we reach Ernstahl, under the supervision of the examiners. Your conduct during the journey will not affect your evaluation, so feel free to spend the trip however you like.”

“Ah… Thank goodness…”

Elze sighed in relief.

As the carriage began to move, the cheers from the crowd grew even louder.

“Elze, take care!”

“If it gets too hard, you can always come home!”

Even her usually composed brother and sister were shouting at the top of their lungs, waving desperately.

Leaning out of the carriage, Elze waved back with all her might.

(Maglier… My beloved home…)

The people she loved, the beautiful scenery—

Slowly, it all faded into the distance.

“Now then, let’s go over the next steps—”

The ambassador murmured in an exaggeratedly casual tone, looking down at his notebook.

Taking his unspoken kindness as permission, Elze wiped away her overflowing tears.

(It’s okay… I will protect them… No matter what…!)

Taking one last glance at her homeland, Elze straightened her posture and faced forward with determination.